There has been a large influx of new Clouds and new Rain fans, and Rain has mentioned working on new music. So, now is a great time to go all the way back and get folks up to speed on his albums, from 1998 to 2017!
My second installment of this series celebrates the time when 20-year-old 비 left his JYPE dancer status and debuted as a solo singer with first album n001 in Spring 2002. Yes, I said n001! Many sources and articles out there tell you Rain’s first album was titled “Bad Guy” and that’s WRONG. They all cut and pasted bad information from an original source and from each other, and didn’t bother researching to see if the info was right.
The first song Rain released was “Bad Guy.” His first album was n001. Proof. ^@@^
Unboxing! Behold below, the beauty of the album art. Woahhh… The cassettes and CDs are pretty rare these days. I don’t have n001 yet, but Terri does own one ↑ ↑ so I’m good! ^@@^ (Video credit: k-collection @ YT.)
SCROLL DOWN ↓ this post to learn more and see my compilation of images, songs, MVs, track lists, TV spots, and TV appearances (credited to all fans as tagged). Please enjoy! ^@@^
» You can visit the previous Open Thread and re-visit Baby Rain’s FanClub days HERE. By the way — have you 10th Cloud sisters left a message for Rain on his officially sanctioned fan club on Naver today?
REMINDER: Rain’s birthday is on June 25! World Cloud took up donations early (this past April) from 10th Clouds and fans for his birthday gifts. Terri and I sent a donation on behalf of Cloud USA, and we’re also ordering something to send to South Korea from Cloud USA, so the bases are covered. I wish we could’ve sent a box of birthday cards from y’all, but due to circumstances beyond my control, there just wasn’t time to get a notification out. But, hey — there will be more chances to come together and support him together in the coming months, right? Right! ^@@^
» Cloud USA disclaimer. READ it. We’re 10th Cloud term members now, but the same still applies.
— Cloud cover by: Stephe, Managing Editor ^@@^
Huge thanks to the venue and sponsors who posted all these wonderful images of the event. I mean, my goodness! A pleasant surprise, indeed. *thumbs up*
Looks like a great time was had by all, including Rain. Yay! ^@@^
Playlist, 12 videos. A taste of two nights of singing, dancing, Q & A, and charming his fans. ❤ ^@@^
Please see below the info we have so far on Rain’s 2019 Fan Meeting in Vancouver, Canada being announced. It’s to take place at the Hard Rock Casino on June 7 and 8. Tickets go on sale at Ticketmaster Canada on April 19.
Lovely Clouds,
Most of you are aware that 2018 and early 2019 has been a trying time for Stephe and her family. She shared some of her thoughts on those trials in her “From Stephe’s desk: Coming to y’all with Props In My Life” post on March 27th.
Still, it’s with a heavy heart that I come to you today to share the news that her father, Mr. Jimmy Lee Thornton, Sr., passed away on Thursday, April 11th, after a long battle with several illnesses, including vascular dementia.
Daddy Thornton, as he was called by those closest to him, was a commanding presence–full of life, laughter, and lots of love for everyone he encountered. He was a hero, fearlessly serving in the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s, when civil rights for Black men (especially in the military) were still a dream. He loved his family fiercely and would do anything for them. I mean anything. And he embraced everyone else who loved him and his family equally. I seriously just can’t say enough good about the man. In fact, there’s so much to say about him, that I’m having a terrible time trying to write this post.
I first met him sometime in the 90’s, when I visited Stephe’s parents’ house for the first time. She lived on her own, so it was more usual for us to visit at either her place or mine. But after some time had passed, I was invited to her parents’ house (for some event I now can’t remember because I’m so old) to meet her parents and brothers. They were all so welcoming to this new friend of hers who they didn’t really know all that well yet. Her mother was not only beautiful, but oh so kind. Her brothers were confident and smart young men. But what I remember most was her dad’s commanding presence. He wasn’t a big man, but he was as large as life and full of pride–and laughter. It was crystal clear that he loved his family more than anything. 
One of the most wonderful things about Daddy Thornton was his sense of humor. At some point after he met me, he began referring to me as “The General.” He would hear someone open the door, and knowing I was supposed to arrive soon, would assume it was me and say, “Is that the General? Tell her not to work me over too hard. I’m tired.” LOL. Neither of us knew why the heck he decided to call me that, but it didn’t matter. It was funny and made everyone who knew I was actually a 5′ 2″ tall kitten laugh out loud. I would call Stephe on the phone for one of our long conversations knowing that at some point I would inevitably hear him in the background picking on Stephe and then asking her to “Tell The General I said hi.” I swear.
Daddy Thornton was a man full of love in a hard world that doesn’t care all that much about love, a world that thinks love isn’t really worth the cost. But I think Daddy Thornton would disagree. I honestly believe that everything he did in his life was because of love. He left school at a very young age because his parents needed help, he worked damned hard for his beloved wife and children, and he served in the Air Force because he loved his country. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.
We will all miss him dearly.
Terri :-}
Mr. Thornton’s memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, April 20th. Flowers may be sent to the family at the following address:
Mr. Jimmy Lee Thornton, Sr.
Georgia Memorial Park
2000 Cobb Parkway, SE
Marietta, GA 30060
To learn even more about Daddy Thornton, please visit Stephe’s own blog and read her “On this Memorial Day week, I thank my father for being a fearless pioneer” and other posts.
Seventeen years old, with 2 albums done and his whole life ahead of him. ❤ I love what they did to his hair in Year 2! (1999)
There has been a large influx of new Clouds and new Rain fans, and Rain has mentioned working on new music. So, now is a great time to go all the way back and get folks up to speed on his albums, from 1998 to 2017!
Starting with the albums when he was 16 to 17 years old, when he went by his given name in the 6-boy K-Pop group FanClub (팬클럽), before he was 비 (Bi, Rain)… ^@@^
Fanclub 1 MOTIVE (1998).
Fanclub 2 (1999). Second guy from your right.
SCROLL DOWN ↓ this post to learn more and see my FanClub compilation of images, songs, MVs, track lists, TV spots, and TV appearances (credited to all fans as tagged, and in addition: Flower9504 @ Daum Blogs, Naoko (harudoful), and our incredible sisters Cloud Hungary). Please enjoy! ^@@^
» You can visit the previous Open Thread HERE. By the way — have you 10th Cloud sisters left a message for Rain on his officially sanctioned fan club on Naver today?
REMINDER: This is Rain’s career anniversary month, Clouds (4/28/19)! Rain’s officially sanctioned World Cloud community is accepting donations at this time from Clouds and fans who want to contribute to his 17th Debut Anniversary gift and also to his 37th Birthday gift (6/25/19), so head on over to the Cloud Cafe. DEADLINE for donations: Monday, April 15. PAYPAL your donations to: raincloudworld@gmail.com! Thanks.^^
4/24/2002. KM Music Tank. Rain’s 1st official TV performance as singer 비. ↓
4/28/2002. SBS Inkigayo. Rain’s 1st official TV performance competing against other artists on a chart show. ↓
» Cloud USA disclaimer. READ it. We’re 10th Cloud term members now, but the same still applies.
Hey, everybody! How is 2019 treating you?
I hope you and your loved ones are happy, healthy, and warm, and that those of you suffering crazy storms in this month of March are safe and warm soon.
This past Saturday was the one-year anniversary of my brother Jim‘s catastrophic injury. Needless to say, 2018 was a year of hell for him, me, and our dad. And, 2019 has started off even worse, if you can believe that. However—
Seoul'd Out: The First 9 Years of Rain
